Clothes pin



D. c. sMxTH 2,099,177

CLOTHESPIN Nov. 16, v19437.

Filed Feb. 13, 1937 By l/m 5m A torneys pairs of jaws formed onduplicate relativelymov- 5 Patented Nev. 16, 1937 f UNITED sTA'rtasorrics f CLOTHES PIN l Davia olauaesmith, Jacksonville, nl. IApplication February 13, 1937, Serial No. 125,648 1 claim. (c1. 2li-s1)The present invention relates to clothes pins and has for its principalobject to provide a device of this character embodying upper and lowerable members whereby the upper pair of jaws may be utilized forsuspending the pin from a clothes line or other supporting structure andthe .lower pair of' jaws may be utilized for gripping and supporting agarment. Y Y l A further Objectis to provide an article of thischaracter of simple andY practical construction, eflicient and reliablein performance, strong and durable and otherwise well adapted for thepurposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing'forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout and in whichz- Y Y Y Figure 1 isa side elevational view of the clothes pin showing the parts inassembled position.

Figure 2 is an edge elevational view thereof.

' Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on a line2--2 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose ofillustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the inventionvthe numerals 5 and 6 designate duplicate substantially `elongatedmembers oppositely curved intermediate theirends to space the centralporv tion of the members from Veach other, as illustrated in Figure l ofthe drawing, each of said members having upper and lower offsetextensions 1' and 8 dening upper and lower pairs of jaws when themembers are secured in assembled position. Y

Portions of the walls of the members 5 and 6 are rabbeted as shown at 9to provide an interiitting connection between the members and to bringthe jaw members into coacting gripping position, the cut out portion Iforming the rabbeted connection extending longitudinally of therespective members to Yprovide for the relative transverse movementtherebetween to enable the opening and closing movement of the jaws.

Upper and lower springs I I and I2 are provided for securing the jaws ina normally closed position, as shown in Figure l oi the drawing, each ofsaid spring members being of duplicate construction and formed of acontinuous strand of wire having their end portions I3 bent intosubstantially parallelism and seated in grooves I4 in the outer faces ofthe associated jaws, the wire forming the spring members extending fromsaid end portions longitudinally along the outer surfaces of therespective members and 6 and connected by an intermediate portion I6extending between the respective members. The springs Il and I2 thus notonly serve to maintain the jaws in closed position but also secure themembers 5 and 6 lagainst relative lateral movement and thus maintain theparts in assembled position.

The inner faces of the jaws are not as shown at II to accommodate theline or other supporting element and since both ends of the device areof identical construction it will be apparent that either end may beutilized to support the pin from the clothes line while the other endmay be utilized to grip a garment.

The jaws are opened by exerting pressure against the outer edges of themembers 5 and B and it will be apparent that either of the jaws may beopened independently oi thev other by a proper application of suchpressure. l

It is believed that the details of construction and operation will bereadily understood from the foregoing without further detailexplanation.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim isz- A clothes pincomprising a pair of duplicate members having rabbeted end portionsprovided with cooperating jaw extensions at opposite ends of themembers, said rabbeted end portions providing relative movement betweenthemembers to open andclose the jaws and spring means for each pair ofjaws including end portions engaging the outer surfaces of the jaws toyieldably close the jaws and said spring means also including inwardlyextending 'interconnected por- Vsame against lateral movement.

DAVE) CLAUDE SMITH.

